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COVER STORY OCTOBER 17, 2025 | The Indian Eye 4

BIHAR ELECTIONS 2025

A TRIANGULAR

BATTLE

As Bihar heads toward a high-stakes Assembly election, three distinct political

forces — the NDA, the Mahagathbandhan, and Jan Suraaj — are redrawing the
state’s political lines and testing the pulse of Indian democracy

OUR BUREAU

Patna / New Delhi
ihar, the political crucible that
has often set the tone for In-
Bdia’s larger democratic trends,
is once again poised for a fierce and
unpredictable contest. The Assem-
bly election scheduled for November
will not be a simple bipolar face-off
but a triangular battle involving the
ruling National Democratic Alli-
ance (NDA), the opposition Mahag-
athbandhan (Grand Alliance), and
Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj, a new
player determined to disrupt estab-
lished equations.
The Election Commission of
India (ECI) has already rolled out a
massive exercise to ensure smooth
polling across the state’s 243 constitu-
encies. Over 8.5 lakh election officials
have been deployed, alongside an Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar interacts with women during the inauguration and lays the foundation stone
unprecedented appointment of one
General Observer per constituency, for 22 development projects in Muzaffarpur (ANI Photo)
signaling the seriousness of the con-
test. The election will be conducted in The alliance — led by the Bharatiya lying tension: “Ho nyaay agar to aad- er Tariq Anwar.
two phases — November 6 and 11 — Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal ha do... rakho apni dharti tamaam...” For Nitish, who has shifted be-
with counting on November 14. (United) [JD(U)] — faces internal The poetic frustration reflects the tween alliances over the years, the
Beyond the logistics, what’s at bargaining and delicate negotiations friction in an alliance where smaller stakes are high. He must balance the
stake is Bihar’s political identity and with its smaller allies such as Lok Jan- partners seek recognition beyond to- BJP’s aggressive electoral machinery,
the direction of Indian politics head- shakti Party (Ram Vilas) [LJP (RV)] kenism. placate smaller allies, and counter the
ing toward the next general election. and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Sec- The JD(U), led by Nitish Kumar, growing discontent over issues like
The contest is not merely about gov- ular) [HAM]. remains the NDA’s most experienced unemployment and migration. The
ernance but about who defines the Union Minister Chirag Paswan, hand in Bihar. Yet, a cloud of uncer- NDA’s slogan of the “double-engine
future of Bihar — a state long seen who leads the LJP (RV), has been tainty hangs over his leadership. The government” is now being challenged
as emblematic of India’s social churn holding critical talks with BJP leaders, opposition has repeatedly pointed out as “a double-engine without fuel” by
and aspirations. including Minister of State for Home that despite multiple visits to Bihar, its rivals.
Affairs Nityanand Rai, to finalize Prime Minister Narendra Modi has Still, the NDA remains formi-
UNITY UNDER STRAIN seat-sharing. While Rai sounded op- avoided explicitly declaring Nitish as dable. With the BJP’s organizational
timistic — “Everything is positive,” he the NDA’s chief ministerial face. “The strength, Nitish Kumar’s caste-based
ithin the ruling NDA, the said — other allies have shown signs NDA and the Prime Minister have outreach, and Chirag Paswan’s Dal-
struggle to maintain unity of discontent. HAM chief Jitan Ram not yet declared Nitish Kumar as the it voter base, the alliance hopes to
Whas become a defining fea- Manjhi’s cryptic post on X lamenting CM candidate. Therefore, there is consolidate enough ground to retain
ture of the campaign’s early phase. the slow pace of talks hinted at under- confusion,” remarked Congress lead- Continued on next page... >>

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